REVIEW: Matilda at Syracuse Stage
By Gabriel Veiga
A fun, family oriented holiday show has welcomed its way to Syracuse Stage.
“Matilda The Musical” premiered on Nov. 19 and will run until Jan. 2, 2022. Syracuse Stage partnered with the Syracuse University drama department to bring the production to life. It features a majority of SU students as part of the cast, including Matilda herself (played by the wonderful Emerson Glick). Donna Drake directed the show (The Wizard of Oz, Rent, Hairspray).
The show tells the story of Matilda, a little girl and absolute genius, hated by her parents. At school, Miss Trunchbull terrorizes Matilda and the other children. Matilda, though, stands up for herself, developing supernatural powers that will help her survive Trunchbull and her parents. The musical is nothing like the movie. Through song and dance, we follow Matilda’s journey - it’s an amusing and entertaining one.
The cast is very talented and they all sing and speak with British accents. It’s hard for some, as the audience can clearly tell it’s not their natural dialect. Glick, as fantastic as she is in the main role, is the toughest to understand at times.
But it's incredibly impressive to see 7th graders be so talented in a show this massive. Special mention goes to Brian Herbert (Bruce) who is fully immersed and has clearly worked very hard. He shines and takes the audience’s applause multiple times. Again, he’s only in 7th grade and will have to do this show every night until Jan. 2. It’s some work!
Honorable mentions also go to the adult cast: Kathleen Wrinn (Miss Honey), Blake Segal (Mr. Wormwood) and Kim Sava (Ms. Wormwood). They take the show to a whole new level with their maturity, experience, comedic timing and talent. David Lowenstein (Miss Trunchbull), takes the cake (or brings the cake, wink wink if you remember the movie). He steals the show with his singing, evilness, and acrobatics. He surprisingly gives Pam Ferris (from the movie) a run for her money.
Drake and her set design team created beautiful and massive set pieces, helping the show tell its story – from the letters on the wall, to the school gates, to the school benches and blackboard. All the sets are equally detailed and carefully built. It feels like a real school, or a real library. A turntable, placed center stage, makes the sets and characters move and it gives the show a magical sense. It’s comparable to a big-budget Broadway set.
If anything, the show is a little long with many songs, so be sure to stretch your legs at the break.
“Just because you find that life’s not fair it / Doesn’t mean that you just have to grin and bear it / If you always take it on the chin and wear it / Nothing will change.” In “Matilda the Musical,” be prepared to experience a cheerful and uplifting journey of song and dance.
Tickets for “Matilda the Musical” are on sale at syracusestage.org